Expandable batons have been used for many years by law enforcement officers as a convenient alternative to conventional one-piece batons or night sticks. In the retracted position, expandable batons can be worn in a holster attached to the equipment belt of a law enforcement officer without interfering with the movement of the officer. Additionally, when retracted, the expandable baton can be somewhat concealed by the officer to reduce his or her threatening appearance when confronted with a delicate situation.
Expandable batons typically include an outer gripping tube that acts as the handle for the baton when the baton is in the extended position. One or two telescoping sections nest within the gripping tube such that the retracted length of the expandable baton is approximately one-third of its extended length. During use, the baton is sharply swung in an arc such that the inner telescoping sections are flung outward by the centrifugal force generated during the swinging action. Typically, each of the telescoping sections include an expanded end that interacts with a tapered surface formed on the outer section to frictionally lock the baton in its extended position.
Although currently available expandable batons work reasonably well, improvements may be made to enhance their capability and efficiency. When a law enforcement officer attempts to restrain an individual through a swinging action of the baton, the amount of force associated with the swing is attributable to the centrifugal force generated at the striking end of the baton. Thus, the greater the weight of the baton and the longer the baton, the greater the force that may be imparted. Notwithstanding that current expandable batons have permitted an increase in inertia provided by weapon use in a swinging fashion, there remains a need to provide for a customized design in which an officer may selectively change the weight and strike force capability of the expandable baton. It is also desirable to upgrade the handling of the baton so that it can be accessed more easily from one's holster and can be positively grasped to provide a reliable intermediate force weapon for the officer. Furthermore, it is desirable to offer an expandable baton in which the telescoping sections may be extended at variable rates and lengths as desired by the individual user.